Quick stir-fried chicken coated in bold Nigerian suya spice, bringing street-food flavor to a fast weeknight skillet dinner.
Suya is one of Nigeria's most recognizable street foods — skewered meat coated in yaji, a spiced ground peanut blend, and grilled over open flame by vendors found in nearly every city and town. This stir-fry adapts that same bold spice profile into a format that comes together entirely on the stovetop. The technique leans on searing the chicken hard and fast in a very hot pan so it develops real color rather than steaming, then finishing with the vegetables and a final toss with garlic to bring everything together. The crushed peanut garnish at the end echoes the peanut coating found on traditional suya skewers. It's a faster, weeknight-friendly way to bring the distinctive smoky, spicy, nutty flavor of suya to the table without needing a grill or skewers.
Serves 4
Toss the sliced chicken with suya spice and half the salt, coating evenly. Let sit 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a wide skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering.
Add the chicken in a single layer and sear 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add onion and both bell peppers with the remaining salt. Stir-fry 4-5 minutes, until softened but still with some bite.
Return the chicken to the pan along with garlic, tossing 1-2 minutes until everything is hot and well combined. Scatter crushed peanuts over the top and serve with lime wedges.
Don't overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken — work in batches if needed so it browns instead of steaming.
Use real suya spice (yaji) if you can find it — its blend of ground peanuts, ginger and chili peppers is distinct from generic seasoning mixes.
Sear the chicken in a very hot pan without crowding it, working in batches if necessary for a proper char.
Crush the peanuts coarsely rather than finely for texture, mirroring how suya skewers are traditionally served with a peanut coating.
Grill the chicken on skewers instead of stir-frying for a more traditional suya presentation.
Use beef strips instead of chicken for classic suya flavor.
Serve over jollof rice instead of on its own for a fuller meal.
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet to re-crisp the chicken rather than using a microwave.
Suya, skewered and grilled meat coated in a spiced peanut mixture called yaji, is one of Nigeria's most iconic street foods, traditionally sold by roadside vendors called 'Mai Suya'; this stir-fry brings the same bold spice blend into a fast stovetop format.
Yes, blend ground roasted peanuts with ginger powder, cayenne, paprika, garlic powder and a bouillon cube for a reasonable homemade version.
Cashews or sunflower seeds work as a substitute, though peanuts are traditional to suya's flavor profile.
It was likely overcooked or cut too thick — slice the chicken thin and cook just until it reaches 165°F internally, then pull it from the heat.
Per serving (300g / 10.6 oz) · 4 servings total
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